The Perfect Woman
by Muthii
Summary: When Michelle Ross was 11, her parents died in a car crash. She was then taken in by her paternal grandfather, Michael Ross. Thanks to her grandfather's guiding hand she not only graduated Harvard Law School, but also earned a couple Olympic gold medals in gymnastics. FemMike x Harvey.
1. The first meeting

Chapter 1 - The first meeting

"Katrina I cannot stay here anymore. Cameron has been keeping me away from the best cases for the last 3 months. Something is fishy and I don't want to be involved with it" I say to my best friend and Harvard mentor.

"I know Mike, but you know if you leave now than you might have to start from the bottom again." Katrina replies.

"So it's like starting over again, but I look forward to the challenge." I wisecrack.

"Did you just quote Lee Majors to me?! … Wait, don't reply. This was a rhetorical question. What are you going to do now?" Katrina say, giving me a look that says stop fooling around this is serious.

I respond "Okay, okay… I already gave in my resignation so …" "WHAT YOU ALREADY RESIGNED! WHEN DID YOU WANT TO TELL ME ABOUT THAT?!" Katrina cuts in furiously.

"Well, I just told you now, because I didn't want you to try to stop me. I know that I may have to start over, but this is my chance to start going into corporate law. You know how much I have been struggling with seeing thousands of crimes scene pictures every day, because my damn mind won't forget about them. Also, the pay is so much better." I answer while relieving the memories of the case I handled last month. A little girl about 5 years old raped and brutally murdered by her own uncle. The police report picture haunting my dreams.

Katrina looks at me with pity and a little bit of jealously and asks "So, which law firm offered you a new job?" I look at her with my I didn't plan this through smile to which she responds "MICHELLE NINA ROSS DID YOU JUST QUIT YOUR JOB WITHOUT A BACKUP?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND! … Why are you giving me your puppy eyed look now?"

"Because I need my best friends to help me find a new job." I answer continuing my puppy eyed look which I know she cannot resist. Katrina rubs her temple frowning and sighs "What do you need me to do?" "I got an email today stating that Harvey Specter from Pearson Hardman is looking for a personal associate. I already got an interview for tomorrow. What I need from you is to help me find out what I have to say to Specter that will distinguish myself from the others and gets me the job" I state.

"Personal associate? … suits you. You always need a mentor to guide you. Like I did with you when you were a 1L at Harvard and I was your 3L mentor showing you the ropes. What, you know it's true without me you wouldn't have survived a day. Okay your first place at Harvard and eidetic memory should impress him but we must find you a trump card that will put you into his good graces and nobody else has. Harvey Specter worked at the DA's office before joining Pearson Hardman. We could ask Bertha if she knows something, she has been here the longest time." Katrina renders.

"That's the reason why you are my best friend" I tell her and while we go to Bertha.

-After the conversation with Bertha-

"Cookies for the secretary, nobody else is going to think about that. Good that you are great at baking. Writing your own CV will not be a problem for you and we do not need to work on your confidence, because you already have enough of that. I believe we only need to go shopping!" Katrina exclaims.

I look at her confused and comment "We? I think I can buy the baking supplies by myself."

Katrina looks at me with her you are so naïve smirk and exclaims "I wasn't talking about the cookies. I was talking about your clothes. You cannot go to this interview with anything that you own. This is an interview for one of the best corporate law firms in New York and you need to look like you are already one of them."

-The next day-

Wearing a dark blue pinstriped suit by Altuzarra, a white Chanel blouse, Beige Iriza Patent Louboutin's and a Louis Vuitton Iena handbag and my long blonde (normally wavy) hair up in a professional French twist, I wait for my name to be called. Admitting to myself that Katrina was right to go shopping with me, while I look at the other candidates.

"Michelle Ross" I hear and go to the redheaded woman who I know is Donna Paulson the woman I must get on the good side of to get this job. "Ms. Ross, what makes you think that I should let you interview for our firm" she asks me.

Okay Mike here it goes showtime.

I smile and respond "I am better than all these newbies and I can prove it. I know that you play the deciding factor in who gets to walk through these doors with a good first impression to Mr. Specter. So, I got something for you" She looks at me with a raised eyebrow and I open my bag get a box out of it and hand it to her saying "I made these for your homemade chocolate chip cookies with pistachios." She looks at me smiling and asks, "How did you know about my one weakness?"

"I walked at the DA's Office and you are quiet fondly remembered there, especially Bertha misses you" I reply and give her a wink, because I know that I just got on her good side.

Donna turns to the door and what I suspect is a wink and turns back to me saying "Mr. Specter will be right with you can I get you anything a water or a coffee?"

I go into the room shaking Mr. Specters hand, only thinking that he is way more handsome than the pictures suspect and scolding myself for thinking something like that about my potential future boss.

We sit down, and he takes my CV gives it a onceover while nodding and says "First in her year at Harvard 3 years at the DA's Office. Quite impressive, but why are you here and not still at the DA's office? You know that the invite said that my personal associate would start as a first-year associate at the firm" I take a breath and look him in the eyes and answer "I am aware of that and I don't have a problem with it. About the question why I am leaving the DA's Office, well I could ask you the same question, but as I am being the one who is interviewed I tell you why I did it. I need a challenge. I have an eidetic memory and lately the cases at the DA's office have not been quite that much of a challenge to me. My mind gets easily bored and corporate law is very intricate, which should occupy it. The best lawyers go into corporate law and I want to be up there with the best of the best."

He looks at me smirking and says, "Did you just quote Top Gun on me?"

"Yes. I am sorry it is my favorite movie and I couldn't resist" I reply, suddenly feeling quite nervous.

"Nothing to be sorry for. Eidetic memory … how does that exactly work?" he says and looks at me with his big brown eyes that are so … stop it Mike get a grip on yourself. This is your chance to land a touchdown. I look on his desk and see my chance. "That's a BarBri Legal Handbook right there, right? Open it up. Read me something. Anything." I respond.

He picks up the book, he looks slightly intrigued, but also doubtful. He opens it up and starts reading "Civil liability associated with agency is based on several factors, including - "

"Including the deviation of the agent from his path, the reasonable inference of agency on behalf of the plaintiff, and the nature of the damages themselves." I cut in.

He asks me shocked "How did you know that?"

I look at him smirking and reply "I read it while I studied for the bar."

"Okay, hotshot. Fire up this laptop. "He says suddenly and stands and walks to the other side of the desk I follow his instruction and sit down in front of the laptop. He continues "I'm going to show you what a Harvard attorney can do. Pick a topic."

I counter "Stock option backdating."

He responds, "Although backdating options is legal, violations arose related to disclosures under RIC section 409A."

I cut in "You forgot about Sarbanes-Oxley.""

He retaliates" The statute of limitations renders Sarbanes-Oxley mute post-2007."

"Well, not if you can find actions to cover up the violation as established in the Sixth Circuit May 2008." I retort.

He looks at me stumped and says" That's impressive, but you're sitting at a computer."

I turn the laptop around. "Playing cards. Sorry, if you want to beat me, you're going to have to do it at something else. "I counter and close the laptop and continue "Once I read something, I understand it, and once I understand it, I never forget it. That's how my eidetic memory works."

He comes around the desk looks at me and smirks saying "Move over. I'm emailing the firm I just found our next associate. You start two weeks from Monday. That should leave you enough time to finish everything at the DA's Office. You get a 25,000 Dollar signing bonus."

I reply smiling "Thank you Mr. Specter"

"Harvey. Call me Harvey, Michelle. We will be working rather close together and I like to perform such things on a first name basis" He returns.

"My friends call me Mike" I respond while I walk out the door.


	2. The first day

Chapter 2 – The first day

I wake up and put on my gym clothes and go for a run and after that I take a shower. I go to my closet and find an outfit laid out for me and a note saying, "The perfect first day outfit – K". Katrina must have done this after we went shopping yesterday for my new wardrobe.

I put on the dark purple blazer dress, the black Louboutin's and my black Chanel bag and put my hair up in a professional French twist. I ate a muesli for breakfast and went out of my flat. Luckily, I live only 3 blocks away from the firm, so I walk to the beginning of my new life.

After I get my orientation from Rachel - who I am certain I will become good friends with, due to us bonding over the fact that guys do not take us serious just because we are pretty women - I walk to Harvey's office. He comes in looking as sexy as ever. Mike stop thinking about that. Get a grip on yourself. I smile and say, "Hey, who's ready for a great first day".

Shaking his head, he says, I'm going to have to let you go. I'm shocked and ask him why. "I just got reamed for lying to client and lost my promotion. I have no need of a personal associate now. "he replies.

I start thinking on how I can get that job back. Luckily, I always was a quick thinker. "Did Jessica know that you lied to a client?" I ask him, and he asks me why. "Because she is obligated to report you to the ethics board the second you lied to that client and because she didn't do it, she's in the same boat as you." I reply.

He turns around starts walking to the door turns to me and says, "You're re-hired" and walks out -probably to Jessica's office to tell her what I told him just now.

He comes back with a file in his hand, and throws it at me and says, "Your first case!". I'm excited and respond "Awesome, what is it?".

He says "Pro bono. Sexual harassment. Don't tell anyone I laid it off on you and don't screw it up. "I flick through the file and counter "Got it. You can't handle it? I'll knock it out of the park. "I walk out the door to meet the client.

The meet up with Nancy went better than I thought it would. She recognized me from the posters hanging at my old gym where her son is currently taking classes. She told me her story. Before I started to say goodbye, her son came over and ask me for an autograph. After that I knew I needed to win that case, so that that sweet little boy could have a good life.

I go back to Pearson Hardman and I feel a little bit hungry. I see Harvey standing at a hotdog stand and go over there. He looks at me and asks me "What do you need my help for?". "Who said I needed help?" I counter. "Why else would you be here. Now, give me the update." He replies.

I let that remark slide and tell him "She's a nice woman with a really cute kid and …" Before I can continue he slides in and says with his mouthful "On the case. I don't get emotionally attached to clients.". "This woman had her life ripped apart, you don't even care?" I reply, feeling slightly shocked that he is so emotionless about something like this. He counters "I'm not about caring, I'm about winning. ""Why can't you be about both?" I ask, to which he only retorts "I'd explain it to you but then I'd have to care about you." I grit through my teeth "Right".

I cannot believe that I started having fee... Mike stop thinking about him in a romantic way he is your boss and he just showed you that he is an asshole, so calm down.

I continue saying "Defense sent over the investigation files as what they would like me to believe was a courtesy and we both know that they only send them, because they want me to look at them and no employee's going to testify against their own CEO. So, I am going to find subpoena personnel records of every woman who's left the firm during this guy's tenure."

He looks at me stunned and asks, "So for what do you need my help?" I smile and counter "As I said before I don't need your help. I know how to fill out a subpoena. I am only here because I hadn't had lunch yet and wanted to get me a hotdog" I pay for a hotdog, smile at him and walk into the building leaving him standing there gaping.

After I filled out the subpoena I went to the library looking for precedent cases, because I have a feeling that the defense will file a motion to dismiss the case based on lack of evidence.

Suddenly Rachel comes to me and tells me that Louis wants to see me. I go to his office he greets me and lets me sit down and starts smiling and staring at me for a long, quite uncomfortable, amount of time.

Finally, he starts speaking "I know you had orientation from Rachel but... I wanted to give you a special welcome from me. Um, amongst other things, I'm sort of the disciplinarian of the associates." I look at him, which is not an easy thing to do because that man kind of resembles a rat and it is giving me the creeps. I don't know how to respond to this, which normally doesn't happen to me.

Luckily, I hear a knock on the glass door and turn around to see a guy walk into the office saying, "You wanted to see me." Louis replies "Yes, Gary, please come in. Michelle, this is Gary Lipski. Gary's one of our most promising associates from last year". I shake Gary's hand and Louis continues "Gary, Ms. Pearson wanted me to ask, have you completed the Petrenko filing?"

Gary answers "Oh, well, my brother was in over the weekend, so I didn't really get to it." Louis puts on his creepy smile and responds, "I mean, Gary, come on, this is, like, the third time I've had to ask." Gary replies, "I'll get right on it." But Louis instantly cuts in and says "Don't bother, you're fired" Gary stands there flabbergasted and stutters "What? Y-, y-, you can't fire me.".

Louis face turns serious, which still looks creepy to me, and counters "Oh, yes, I can. And I just did. Go pack up your things. And don't you ever show your face in this place again."

I am shocked as I follow whatever this was and awkwardly wave while Gary exits the office.

Louis turns to me again and give me that creepy ratty smile and says "See, I arranged for you to see that because we pay our associates very well and we provide the opportunity for limited advancement – he suddenly stops smiling and puts on a serious face - but in return we expect results. Have I made myself clear?"

What the hell. I cannot remember the last time I was that confused and can only reply with a short "Yeah" and after that he continues with an even creepier smile "Great. Welcome to Pearson Hardman. - Long, awkward silence. - Feel free to go back to work. "I walk out of his office feeling kind of relieved that I am not in his presence anymore.


End file.
